Good Song Covers?

[TheBowler]

I don't know why, but I'm a sucker for song covers, especially when they're actually well done. I'm gonna post some links to some of my favorites. Anyways, what's everyone else think of covers? Anybody know any good covers? Maybe some that don't get enough credit? Do you like the ones here?

Hallelujah Cover by Safetysuit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ifTNQAb0Y

Rolling In The Deep Cover by Go Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sj25zQPwpU

Africa Cover by Relient K

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXsaQbzRqOM

(P.S. I actually just found this last one looking for another cover, and ended up liking this one better than the one I was looking for! xD)

[SpookyScarySkeleton]

1~Our Last Night is a rad cover band!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKVknRFEhpc Dark Horse(Katy Perry ft Juicy J) cover by Our Last Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXHiLPUgr8IBlank Space(Taylor Swift) cover by Our Last Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY1G03vjeswHabits(Tove Lo) cover by Our Last Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3qqXqyaFsQRadioactive(Imagine Dragons) cover by Our Last Night

They have tons more covers on their youtube channel!

2~Bry (sometimes does covers with Dodie) , they are kinda popular but just moderately. (not a band,persay)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jCoEKx5oGcTwenty One Pilots Mashup by Bry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsk13L530eMSia Elastic Heart/Chandelier Mashup(Sia) cover by Bry and Dodie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF6Gw4_ypHYTeam(Lorde) cover by Bry & Candice(they are married)

As far as cover bands go, uhhh i'd say Pentatonix is my favorite but they're pretty recognized so.

[TheBowler]

They both sound pretty good.

I definitely prefer bands that write original music take their shot at covering a song over cover bands. It's a bit more of a "Hit or miss," type of thing when non-cover bands try to cover a song, but sometimes a band can truly nail it.

I'm sure cover bands can nail songs too, but that's just my preference personally. Definitely appreciate your post!

[SpookyScarySkeleton]

They both sound pretty good.

I definitely prefer bands that write original music take their shot at covering a song over cover bands. It's a bit more of a "Hit or miss," type of thing when non-cover bands try to cover a song, but sometimes a band can truly nail it.

I'm sure cover bands can nail songs too, but that's just my preference personally. Definitely appreciate your post!

Thank you! Both of them have original tracks aswell, they do covers and original songs.

[Icarus Rex]

I would say that "Respect" by Aretha Franklin is the ultimate cover song, since most of it was originally written by Otis Redding, from the perspective of a man demanding "respect" from a woman (hint: a euphemism), and her rendition COMPLETELY changes the whole context in a really badass way. Granted, the two versions might be a little too different from each other for this to be considered a true cover, but still.

Also:
Hurt by Nine Inch Nails (cover by Johnny Cash) -- It's basically his song, at this point.
Ain't It a Shame, American Folk song recorded by Lead Belly (Cover by Nirvana)
Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (cover by Alex Boyé)
Aha by Imogen Heap (cover by Pentatonix)
The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie (also a Nirvana cover. To be fair, I don't know if this one is objectively good, or if I just like it because I was parented largely by the concept of David Bowie and the ghost of Kurt Cobain in my vile youth. )

I have mixed feelings on covers, I guess. It's always really fun to hear different song interpretations, and there are some truly phenomenal ones out there. I think it's really silly when people automatically dismiss cover songs, because no one exists in a vacuum and art is all about building off of what came before, in some capacity. With that being said, I know quite a few bands, locally, who make a killing doing absolutely nothing but mediocre Beatles covers, and... I mean, good for them, for cashing in on nostalgia/recognizability, I guess.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Icarus Rex

[SomethingClever]

I love covers approximately 98% of the time, but it bothers me the most when more recognized artists cover less recognized artists and the song is just assumed to be an original (Wagon Wheel, by Old Crow Medicine Show and covered by Darius Rucker, comes to mind (which in itself is sort of a cover/ rewrite of a Bob Dylan song but that's another story)). But I fully recognize I'm basically a cranky hipster in that regard so I'll shut up and go back on topic now...

I love Lennon and Maisy's covers, especially this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Mr2pmuad4

and this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUDvxgmv9DU

Actually, I kinda have a thing for Johnny Cash covers in general. This one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95itEHED8Hk

Is by Iron and Wine, and it is delightful and very beautiful (it's actually a really old folk song, but the best known version is by Johnny Cash. look at me contradicting my above rant. Typical cranky hipster )

I am also fond of bluegrass covers of nearly anything, such as the Infamous Stringdusters doing John Mayer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyEKfeRibtg

and the Punch Brothers doing Radiohead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp-qVFNPYn0

Oh! and Birdy! Her voice is amazing.

Doing James Taylor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQa0_-ztGDU

and doing Fleet Foxes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LlKoQAvXUc

[March Hare]

I still think Marilyn Manson did a great job on "Sweet Dreams", and I have loved Placebo's cover of "Running Up That Hill" since it was used on an episode of Bones.

[TheBowler]

Actually, I kinda have a thing for Johnny Cash covers in general.

Have you ever seen the movie "Walk The Line?" While also being an entertaining movie, it also has a lot of Johnny Cash covers within it. If you like Johnny Cash covers and haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend it!

I would say that "Respect" by Aretha Franklin is the ultimate cover song...

Now that you say that, I remember watching a video by Matt Santaro on YouTube one night where he ranked the top 10 songs that are actually covers. "Respect," obviously made the list, but I don't think it was #1 on his video. I'd post a link, but I'm on my phone and I have to restrict my Internet usage til the new month rolls around.

[Bubbles]

Some good ones mentioned already! I'm a minority in the belief that NIN did the better version of Hurt!

However, I LOVE me some cover versions, and sometimes they blow the bum out of the original!! Most of these are well-known but I mostly prefer them to the originals!

Seether - Careless Whisper https://youtu.be/HGNbq9Y7Odw

Seether - Across the Universe https://youtu.be/MsCfdwpc2ok

Marilyn Manson - Down in the Park https://youtu.be/H4IKA5lb7r4

t.A.T.u. - How Soon Is Now? https://youtu.be/giey9yCe2Wk

HIM - Don't Fear The Reaper https://youtu.be/jvxRTs9bVoo

Alex Parks - Mad World https://youtu.be/ABFQOLZlfGU

Allyria - Kiss From A Rose https://youtu.be/IozmekxGPVA

Andrea Begley - Secret Smile https://youtu.be/FEhdgjJcBc0

Andrea Begley - Take On Me https://youtu.be/SeIooshOHsg

Mark Rowe - Missing You https://youtu.be/8L_Cpds92TQ

That's all I can think of at the minute!!

[PuddinPop]

Okay, so this one is by an unknown guy, just someone who I came across on YouTube and he is really good~!
This is my favourite one he has done, it's a cover of Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by The Crash Test Dummies.
Love it. He did a great cover of Lithium by Nirvana too.

The Misfits also do really amazing cover songs. I might be biased because they are my favourite band in the world ever, but they did an entire album of cover songs from the 1950s (called Project 1950) and this cover of Diana is just wonderful >w<

I also really love this cover that The Rumjacks did of the original Irish folk song I'll Tell Me Ma'. I love celtic punk and this is celtic punk at its finest.

While we're on the topic of celtic punk, this version of Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya by Dropkick Murphys is to die for.

I know I've linked it before, but Turisas' version of Rasputin is possibly one of my favourite covers of all time xD

Within Temptation did some really good cover songs too. Here is Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye and here is Titanium by David Guetta. Oh they also did Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey and Let Her Go by Passenger.

I really like metal bands covering non-metal songs xD

[Anonymouse]

Look up the band Walk Off the Earth, they do very creative covers and videos. Some of the best imo - Royals (Lorde), Rude (Magic!), Somebody That I Used to Know (Gotye), and Happy (Pharrell Williams). Sorry for the lack of linkage, too fat and lazy.